God’s Wisdom Revealed by the Spirit

We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature,(A) but not the wisdom of this age(B) or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.(C) No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery(D) that has been hidden(E) and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age(F) understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.(G) However, as it is written:

“What no eye has seen,
    what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”[a]
    the things God has prepared for those who love him—(H)

10 these are the things God has revealed(I) to us by his Spirit.(J)

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts(K) except their own spirit(L) within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 What we have received is not the spirit(M) of the world,(N) but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom(O) but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.[b]

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 2:9 Isaiah 64:4
  2. 1 Corinthians 2:13 Or Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual

God’s Spirit Reveals Everything

However, when we are among mature people, we do speak a message of[a] wisdom, but not the wisdom of this world or of the rulers of this world, who are passing off the scene. Instead, we speak about God’s wisdom in a hidden secret, which God destined before the world began[b] for our glory. None of the rulers of this world understood it, because if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written,

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
    and no mind has imagined
the things that God has prepared
    for those who love him.”[c]

10 But[d] God has revealed those things to us by his Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the deep things of God.

11 Is there anyone who can understand his own thoughts except his own inner spirit? In the same way, no one can know the thoughts of God except God’s Spirit. 12 Now, we have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who comes from God, so that we can understand the things that were freely given to us by God. 13 We don’t speak about these things with words taught us by human wisdom, but with words[e] taught by the Spirit, as we explain spiritual things to spiritual people.[f]

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 2:6 The Gk. lacks a message of
  2. 1 Corinthians 2:7 The Gk. lacks began
  3. 1 Corinthians 2:9 Isa 64:4
  4. 1 Corinthians 2:10 Other mss. read For
  5. 1 Corinthians 2:13 Lit. in things
  6. 1 Corinthians 2:13 Or in spiritual words